White Innocence
by WhiteMage103
Summary: Severus recalls memories and meets a peculier woman while his wife is giving birth to their child. SS/HG One-Shot


_O, take the sense, sweet, of my innocence Love takes the meaning in love's conference._

William Shakespeare

Severus stood outside of the operation room tapping his foot jittery onto the tiled floor. He ran his fingers through his dark hair, almost wanting to pull it out of it's roots. Pressure in his chest began to expand, leaving him to feel like exploding.

He didn't care though, nothing else mattered.

She was in dire trouble and he was forced to leave her. To die without her husband next to her, to find never hear reassurance of the baby's survival.

This was his fault. Everything was his fault, since day one.

He made her life miserable since she entered the Great Hall for the Sorting Ceremony all those years ago. He made her feel terrible and discredited for what others would praise for. Things were different then. He hated all Gryffindors, especially friend of the 'Chosen One', The Boy Who Refused to Die, Potter's Brat... Lily's son.

He wanted nothing more to be free from the pain Lily's death brought him. And She did it. The first time, not so long ago.

_1996_

_"Today we are going to practice the nonverbal shielding charms. As I remember, you are all in sixth year and perfectly capable of waving a wand. This should not be a problem at all. I want silence in this room. I should not hear words for a nonverbal spell. Begin."_

_Gryffindors and Slytherins got into their pairs. Hermione Granger was paired once again with Neville Longbottom and was once again deflecting jinxes with ease as they had a week ago. Neville was still having problems with nonverbal spells and was whispering them aloud for Hermione to hear. Professor Snape paced the room checking on student's progresses. Not much to check on._

_He gaze suddenly came to Hermione. Her movements were fast and graceful against Neville's awkward, sluggish waves. Snape noticed how well she was performing each spell._

_"Perfect," he whispered inaudibly._

Why would such a clever witch pair with bumbling Longbottom_? Snape thought. He suddenly came with an idea. He would give her a challenge._

_He called the first worthy candidate that came to his mind._

_"Mr. Malfoy, please pair with Miss Granger. Longbottom, you will take his place with Mr. Zabini," he replied._

_All four looked awkwardly at him, then threw disgusted looks at the other._

_"Now," Snape icily told them._

_They quickly paired with their enemies and begun their practice. Malfoy was very aggressive and took every chance to attack Hermione. She almost didn't stand a chance, but her blocking spells were effective. _

_After about fifteen minutes, Snape called the time. Malfoy suddenly went to attack Hermione, but she ducked and it went to the next closest person. There was a bang! then a thud! and a groan from Professor Snape. Malfoy attacked a teacher!_

_Gryffindors started to snicker, but all Slytherins were silent. A few murmurs were heard in the room, but the bell rang and everyone scurried out of the room quickly before he woke up. All except one._

_"Hermione c'mon, let's go before he brings hell out," Ron Weasley harshly whispers._

_"We can't just leave him. He could be hurt," Hermione replied softly._

_"Hermione, please, he's going to kill you. Besides, the next class will get Pomfrey to come here or maybe Dumbledore will find him. Just please come," Harry Potter pleaded._

_Hermione shook her head. "I'll go get Pomfrey myself. Let me grab my books and I'll head there. I'll see you two later."_

_Ron was about to object, but Harry took his shoulder. Both boys left her alone with a sleeping dragon._

_Hermione sighed and gathered her courage. She knelt beside the unconscious professor and lightly shook his shoulder._

_"Professor Snape, the class is over. Please wake up," she coaxed him. Nothing._

_Even two more tries, Snape didn't wake up. Hermione groaned irritatedly and sat completely on the cold stone floor. She checked to make sure there wasn't any bleeding. Luckily there wasn't, but he had hit his head to unconscious, so there must have been some sort of injury. Hermione went to move the stray flock of hair in his face to check for other injuries. Her fingers barely brushed against him and when it touched, she felt her spine shiver. In a good way, though. Suddenly, she heard the strangest thing._

_"Lily," he replied softly._

_Hermione was puzzled about her being called Harry's mum, but she was more scared than anything that the most dangerous professor was waking up! She tried to move but she felt immobilized on the floor. Instead, she did the next best thing._

_"Y-yes," she squeaked._

_Snape looked up at her. His eyes foggy and dazed. He suddenly feel into Hermione's lap. She nearly freaked out, but instead tried to comfort him back to reality. Nervously, she stroked his hair and trying to bring him back. Surely, he would realized where he was and give her detention for interfering. She felt him stir and her heart suddenly froze._

_She came eye to eye with her D.A.D.A teacher._

_"Miss Granger, I do hope you have a reasonable explanation for your fellow Gryffindors. Fifty points from Gryffindor and I don't want to catch you alone in this class room again," he spat._

_Hermione quickly ran out of the room, tears streaming down her face. For once she tried to be nice, and he just turned her away like a criminal._

_Snape sat down in his desk, rubbing the pain from the impact of the spell. Luckily it was just a expelliarmus spell, but like Potter, the anger was so great, he flew back. What was more unnerving than the pain, was Hermione's touch? Why would a person do that to him? Especially an intelligent, beautiful, caring woman... Wait, beautiful? Was that even part of Snape's vocabulary anymore? The last time he used it was with her... Lily. But Hermione was so much like Lily. Muggleborn, intelligent, caring, and dare he say, beautiful._

_There was no love meant for his life. Right now he had a problem that he knew he had to face. _

Healer McReady came out of the ward. Looking nervous and her fingers quivering, Severus knew it couldn't be good.

"Is she alright?" he replied without facing her.

She sighed and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Your wife is in a terrible condition, Professor. We almost lost her with the birth, but she is stable now."

Severus felt the pang of pain in his stomach.

"And the child?" he replied trying to not sound like he was about to break.

"We could've lost her too. If your wife hadn't requested this earlier, you would have lost both. I was told by your wife that she is to see the baby first, whether she makes it or not." The healer's melancholy voice didn't convince Severus.

"Thank you, McReady. Please do what you can," Severus pleaded in a hushed voice.

The woman tried to smile and left to the ward. Severus stayed in the seat he had occupied the last thirty minutes. He felt like the world was ending. The woman he loved was dying. The only person that had room in her loving heart for him was about to leave him alone again. He thanked the gods for allowing his child to live.

Severus tried to bring happy thoughts of her future. He could imagine her years from now, sitting in his lap while he read her stories. Or when she got her letter to Hogwarts. But he couldn't imagine himself sending her off alone. What should happen if their child grew without any motherly care. Nothing mattered right now, Severus didn't care for anything right now. Nothing except the witch in the next room waiting for her passing. He didn't care for anything, even for the single tear that ran down his face.

He couldn't block out the memories he had with her. Another painful image managed to slip into his cluttered mind.

_1998_

_"Ron! No Ron!" Hermione shrieked and punched the brick wall with her bare hands._

_Ronald Weasley was killed by Bellatrix Lestrange just an hour ago. Ginny managed to get her back and succeeded, but this didn't help Hermione at all. _

_After arriving at the Burrow, a small service and toasting was held for the family and the rest of the order. Mrs. Weasley cried onto her husband's shoulder and didn't stop. Ginny was held by Harry and both held silent tears. Hermione couldn't stand it and she left the house to the garden. Even the gnomes seemed mournful, for it was silent in the outside world. Hermione wanted to die and she about had it. The war was tearing everyone apart. She hated it to the core._

_She apparated out of the Burrow on autopilot. She hoped to splinch herself and die from blood loss, but instead landed hard onto the cobblestone street in London. She screamed angerly and thrashed around, hitting anything she could reach. Rain was pouring down on top of her, but she could care less._

_Suddenly, strong arms picked her up from the ground._

_"Granger, of all things you could possibly do to kill yourself, this is on top of that list," a deep voice murmured._

_"Stay away from me, you murderer!" Hermione screamed and went to punch him. She was in blind fury and missed every throw she made towards him._

_"Stop you, silly girl, before you harm yourself," Snape replied firmly and seized her by the shoulders. Hermione thrashed again and screamed. The rain fell harder with more of her anger._

_Snape backed Hermione to the wall. Her face glistened with the rain and light from the far off lamp post. She was just crying now. Her sobs were quiet, but strong. Her curly hair fell into her face and blocked Snape's view. _

_"Listen to me, Miss Granger. I know you suffered a lose, but you can't do something so idiotic as to apparate to an unknown stop and yell. There are still Death Eaters around and you could be killed next," he replied still holding her firmly against the cold, hard bricks._

_"Why would you care? You murdered Dumbledore! I would be a common rat to you ready to be exterminated!" she cried._

_"You have to believe me. He told me to; I was cornered. Believe me, I won't let another innocent die. Especially you, H-hermione," he managed to tell her._

_She looked up at the sound of her name. He could see from her veil of hair that he had trouble trying to say those words. Did he mean it?_

_"Why are you doing this? Who are you with? Are you a Death Eater or Dumbledore's man? Tell me!" Hermione quietly pleaded._

_Suddenly, all was silent. Even the rain silenced out. Snape moved the hair from her face and tucked it neatly behind her ear. Hermione looked in his eyes and saw sadness in those empty black abysses. He came closer to her and past her wet face to her ear. _

_"That is for you to decide," he whispered deeply. That sent chills down Hermione's spine. That voice still brought her to her knees. He pulled away and placed his finger under her chin, lightly caressing it. Hermione felt her pulse rise faster wth his touch. _

_All of a sudden, all went black. Snape had pressed his lips against hers in a soul searing kiss. Gentle at first, then stronger as Hermione allowed him. The rain completely forgotten for they were lost in their own little world. Hermione grabbed his robe tight and tried to enter into his mouth. Snape welcomed her as the kiss deepened._

_Hermione started to cry again and pulled away. Snape pulled her close and allowed her to cry on his chest. _

_"There, there my angel," he whispered_

_It was as if they world fell silent again. The rain continued to fall, but there was that calm, serene feel in the alley. Snape looked up to the sky where a patch of stars peeked through the bleak clouds. As if it was the first time since the murder, he sighed._

Severus stopped in front of the tea room as McReady requested. The plain white room held a couch and two small tables unoccupied, except by one. Severus sat in the other chair farthest from the occupant and tried to relax. He ran his hand through his hair and sighed.

Suddenly, the other occupant stirred and faced him. Her purple hoodie covered most of her face and she picked up her cup still staring at him. Severus tried to turn from her view, but he then heard the push and screech of the chair against the tile floor. He didn't even responded to the stranger take a seat in front of him. He felt her gaze upon him and sighed again.

"I do not wish for you to sit here," he replied irritatedly.

"I figured you did. You look like someone who needs someone to talk to," a female voice replied under the coat.

"I am in no need of such pity," Severus murmured.

The girl took of her hood and still faced him, unafraid of his potential of killing her. Severus glanced back at her with a fierce scowl on his face. But she didn't budge or wince.

Her dazy blue eyes kept in that far off focus. Even when Severus glared, she didn't turn her dirty blonde braids. Severus turned away again, while the girl still stared.

"It is not polite to stare, miss," Severus told her.

"Dani," the girl replied.

"I beg your pardon."

"Dani. That is my name. I am sixteen and crazy, that's what Mum tells me. I wanted to sit next to you, cause I thought you were lonely and needed someone to talk to."

"If you must know, I am in a terrible predicament and I wish to be left alone."

The young woman crossed to another chair next to Severus. Her wide blue eyes stared at him sadly, but filled with curiosity.

"Me mum's in the Accidental Magical Damage ward. Not looking so well either," she replied sadly and sipped her tea.

"I am terribly sorry," was all Severus could say as he stared unseeing to the empty white wall.

Dani placed her mitten-ed hand on his arm. He turned slightly and looked into those glassy sea eyes. This girl was too close for his comfort, but he felt no need to push her away. She managed to bring out a smile for him, but she seemed down hearted that he didn't return it.

"Is she pretty?" Dani replied suddenly.

Severus raised an eyebrow. "Don't you have a mother to visit?"

"Is she pretty?" she repeated firmly.

Severus sighed and turned to face the persistent witch. His mind jumbled through his skull and his heart gotten extremely heavy. Why was she going to force him to remember the angel dying in the room a floor down below him?

"Yes," was all he said and went to leave.

"Wait! I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that!" Dani replied and tried to turn him around.

Severus surprised himself by not scowling at the girl to leave. Instead, he saw his own reflection in her eyes. Dark, frail, and sad. Only one thing ran through his mind..._weakness_. Oh how he despised being weak. But he despised most of all was having that second half of his mind that shut down and tried to numb the pain in his heart. He wanted to care for what was happening to her.

"She was beautiful. An angel," he murmured.

Another painful memory penetrated his cramped mind. He couldn't shake it out. Dani kept hold of his arm and tried to lead him back to the table. Severus found himself holding a cup of tea that was gently placed in his shaking hands.

"_Was_? She's still here, isn't she?" Dani replied and took her seat next to him.

Severus was starting to hate those blue eyes, staring...penetrating..._Dumbledore_. He remembered the last time those kind of eyes looked into his. The last moment before the were gone from this world, he was the they saw, him and a green flash. Severus felt his hands clench an invisible force and found himself yelling at Dani.

"Stop looking at me!" he yelled uncontrollably.

Dani didn't lose her gaze, but place her hand on his shoulder again. Severus backed away almost falling from the chair in attempt. The girl merely perked up a smile and helped him up from the awkward position.

"Tell me about her."

Severus about had it with this girl. She was one step away from being hurtled through the door and to the floor. But he found himself talking anyway...

"She has brown curly hair. And brown eyes."

"From your heart," Dani replied firmly.

"What?"

"Tell me about her from your heart. How you feel about her? See her? I want to know everything about herself."

Severus raised an eyebrow and went to speak, but Dani beat him to it.

"I heard that describing a person saves them from harm. A certain magical medicine. Or if you can recall a memory you remember her most beautifully."

Severus thought hard to recall her in her best moment. Dani waited patiently as she poured more tea for both of them. He mumbled a thanks and took a sip from the steaming cup. He closed his eyes and let out a shallow sigh.

_Eight Months Ago_

_Severus came back from a long day of students traveling back home to their waiting families. He felt his body collapse into the brown arm chair and let out a content sigh. The late sun peeked through the curtains in a soft, eternal glow bringing warmth in the room. He felt tired and his eyes agreed fully with him. Just as his eyes closed, a warm weight wrapped its arms around his neck. He let out a chuckle._

_"I seem to have fallen into a trap," he replied._

_"The Severus Snape, master spy, captured. Who are you and what have those students hexed my husband with?" replied his wife with a kiss afterwards._

_Hermione Snape let him go and walked to the kitchen. The sunlight danced through her carmel curls and waves of her unruly hair. Her skin was a soft orange glow in the afternoon light. Severus couldn't take his dark eyes from the angel in his kitchen. Her graceful hands moved across the counter-top in swift even movements. He got up from the chair and walked quietly into the kitchen. Leaning in the doorway, Severus gazed at her from a better view._

_"We're having stew tonight," Hermione replied without turning around._

_Severus came from behind and wrapped his arms around her. Hermione made a shriek of surprise. Content with the reaction, he buried his face into her hair, enjoying the floral scent. He then started to play around with her curls and slowly pushed them off her shoulder. Hermione relaxed tremendously and shivered with his touch. _

_"Do you realize how beautiful you are, Mrs. Snape?" he whispered huskily into her ear._

_"Do you realize how sexy your voice is?" she replied with a quizzical look._

_"I have been told on many occasions." He kisses her lips as she turned around to face him._

_They passionately kissed for what seemed forever, before Hermione broke away._

_"Severus, I have something to tell you."_

_He nodded and let go of her waist to leave her some air room. She looked nervous, biting her lip and playing with the hem ov her apron. How was she going to tell him this?_

_"Severus, please don't get angry, please. Mum heard the news first, because I was scared to tell you. Promise you won't be angry."_

_"Why in Merlin's name would I, if this is so serious? You may reveal your secret," he told her with a smirk._

_"Severus, dear," she took a breath," I am pregnant."_

_That was when the world stopped. Time seemed to cease ticking so that Severus could comprehend what she told him. he just stood there in shock, not knowing what to say or do. But a small voice came from his lips._

_"What?" _

_"Severus, you are going to be a daddy. We're going to have a baby!" she replied tears forming in her cinnimon eyes._

_He couldn't contain himself anymore. Out of pure joy, he picked up his wife carefully and kissed her gently on her head. Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and looked up to his dark eyes._

_"I take this as you are not mad."_

_"Mad? Hermione, I can't hardly think without all this joy consuming have my mind. I have never felt like this since our wedding day," he replied to her._

_Hermione replaced her worried eyes to sparkling and happy joy. She smiled widely showing her teeth. A warm blush perked up on her cheeks. The sun caught her face perfectly and her unruly curls framed her face. She was an angel. The most beautiful angel Severus had every seen in his life and to think she was going to have their child. He set her down to her feet. She suddenly took his hand and led him to their bedroom._

_"Come, Severus. I know your wanting to do this," Hemione whispered with a wanton smile._

_"Can't argue with a face like that," he replied with a chuckle and closed the door behind him._

Dani just stared at him when he was finished. Severus held his head up with his hands. Tears tried to swell up but he was strong enough to hold them back. In private was one thing, but to show it in front of this girl was just wrong. His head ached, his black heart was breaking, he wanted to yell until his throat exploded.

"Sir, may I ask you a question?" the young witch replied.

"If you can ruin me anymore, go ahead," he replied with obvious pain in his voice.

"Do you really think you are the cause of her death?"

"I beg your pardon," Severus said to her.

"Why do you blame yourself for her condition? It is not your fault that she may die."

Severus suddenly sprung up an old feeling he thought he would never have again since his marriage to Hermione. Even with students, he kept his emotions at bay and kept calm in his class. But now this meddiling teenager was messing with his personal thoughts and feelings.

"How would you feel if everything in your life in one night be taken away from you from a stupid mistake you made? I actually have the nerve to think that I am allowed happiness in my damn life! I am cursed to never have love and joy even for a moment because I am a cold, hopeless bastard! Four hours ago, I was told that I was going to live a happy life!"

He threw the tea cup across the room with a satisfying crash.

"One hour ago, I was told that neither were going to live past the night! I am the one that gave her this death sentance! If I wasn't around, she would be happy with a better husband than I. I tained that beautiful angel and now she and the child will die!"

He collapsed into the chair after his uproar. He figured the girl would be in tears and running by now, but she stayed with a sad look in her eyes. No pity, just sad, kind eyes. Her small hand came and held his. She then said something that made him think about things.

"Everyone can ask for happiness for themselves. Its those brave people who admit they may never have it, but fight to earn it anyway. You may think your wife may die, sir, but do you not also try to help her? You do not admit defeat. You are not the cause of her death, but maybe the saviour. You can help her if you completely extinguish the negative."

Severus nodded and went to rise. He headed for the door and stopped. Maybe that meddiling kid was right, he just needed to try to help her. To bring back memories, plan the future of their family, anything.

"Thank you, Dani for-" he replied as he turned around.

But...she was gone.

She just disappeared into thin air. Perplexed, Severus just kept walking to the room. Down the hall and down the stairs. Suddenly, another memory filled his mind.

_Five hours ago..._

_"Severus, I feel light- headed," Hermione complained after a walk together in the park._

_"We're almost home, don't worry. That was too much for a party. I shouldn't have done that with a month to go," Severus replied with his wife in arm to arm._

_The couple walked down the street. Hermione stopped to look at the stars and beautiful snowy landscape that covered the park. Suddenly, she felt a pang in her. She knew only too well that the baby was moving around, but this felt different. She felt as if she would faint, she couldn't hardly stand. She said the first thing in her mind._

_"Severus, I think my water broke."_

_"What! But you have another month!" Severus yelled._

_"It's coming, we have to go to the hospital!"_

_Severus picked his wife up from the ground and hurried to the run down department store, where the dummy in the window stood. _

_"We are having our child. We need to hurry to your healers," Severus whispered frantically to the dummy._

_Suddenly, he was rushing to the counter where a blue haired witch was standing there._

_"We need to see Healer Bennet and McReady. She is going into labor!" Severus replied._

_"Don't worry sir. We are getting a wheel chair for her," the woman replied casually and snapped her fingers._

_A wheel chair rushed past the passerbyes and allowed Hermione to sit down before it took off. Severus ran to keep up with the magiked chair into Healer Bennet's ward. McRaedy waited outside the door allowing Severus to enter._

_"She just said she was going into labor. She can't this early, can she?" Severus replied with worry._

_"Don't worry professor. We get cases like this all the time. A week ago we had a sixteen year old who gave birth two months early, but she is at home fine and dandy."_

_One hour later, Severus was having his hand crushed by Hermione's firm grip. She was in so much pain she could only scream. He held her hand and wrapped another around her shoulders for comfort and restraint. Bennet was at the other end of her waiting for the child to come._

_"Hermione this is the time. I need you to push for me. The baby is ready to come. You need to push, okay?"_

_She could only nod and she tried to push with much strain. Severus whispered in her ear meaningless words of comfort and support to help her through. _

_"I see the head. One more Hermione, one more strong push," Bennet coaxed her._

_Hermione screamed her loudest yet and Severus thought she had cut off his circulation. Suddenly, there were a second set of screams in the room. The baby was born._

_Bennet laughed comfortly and Hermione had laughed too, only weakly. _

_"You are a mother now, Hermione. It's over," Severus replied and kissed her forehead._

_Suddenly, Hermione lost concious. The heartbeat rate was almost nothing. Bennet and McReady went balistic and told Severus to leave. Severus had no time to speak, healers where hiding her from view. _

_"Hermione!" he yelled before being shut out from them. From his child. From Hermione._

Severus finally stood when Healer McReady came out of the ward. He got his hopes up rather unexpectedly and he was sure she could feel it.

"Professor, your wife wants to see you," the matron replied with a sweet smile on her elderly face.

Severus walked timidly into the ward. The room was dimly lit with a lamp shining as the only light. The matron followed close behind and closed the door. And there she was.

Her angelic face was filled with tears. Her hair shone in soft amber light with the lamp. She was smiling so beautifully through her tears as she gazed at a bundle of cloth in her hands. Severus sat down in a chair close to her and took in the sight seeing every detail. From this view, both the mother and child shone like a pair of angels.

"Severus, isn't she beautiful?" Hermione replied. She offered the baby to Severus who for once in his life felt everything just melt away off of him.

He gazed at the little girl in his arms. She was pale right now, but with a soft golden glow around her. She had a little button nose and a face like her mother's, but her small patch of hair was midnight black. She was beautiful, like an angel. Severus couldn't help himself. His eyes filled with tears. He could have lost this child and to see something so precious, so full of innocence in his arms. He couldn't stop the tears of happiness from flowing.

"What are we going to name her Severus?" Hermione asked weakly.

"Whatever you want. I just want the Snape name as her last."

"I thought Melinda was a nice name. It means-"

"Gentleness,"Severus finished.

Melinda Snape. Severus thought it was beautiful name for her. Fitting for such a small cheritable child.

"What was your mother's name, Severus?" Hermione said suddenly.

"Eileen," Severus barely said audibly.

"Melinda Eileen Snape. I love it," Hermione replied.

Hermione fell asleep after that. She needed her rest and Severus didn't leave her side. Melinda was still in his arms and was still fast asleep. Severus brought the baby closer to him and kissed her head.

"Goodnight my angel," and then he also laid down beside Hermione and fell asleep after the trauma of that day.

_In the room, far away_

_"Good job, Dani. He will never doubt again. I should congraduate you for a job well done."_

_"Don't worry Headmaster. I was just helping people out."_

_"Severus will do just fine. Won't he Eileen?"_

_"My son is doing just fine. He is going to be a very good father to her."_

_"Let's go, James and Sirius are getting worried about where I am."_

_"I'm coming too Lily."_

_"Come Eileen, he will be fine."_

_"I know Dumbledore. I know."_

**Author Notes:** This is my first one shot on one of my favorite pairings.

At the end, you have noticed that some characters are there. Lily Potter, Albus Dumbledore, Eileen Snape and Dani are all dead and are just merely visiting. I wanted to clarify that for those who are confused.

Please review! I really need to know how you like it. Hugs to all of you!!


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